Gen. Michael Hayden: Trump's Assault on Intelligence

Chris Riback's Conversations

Of the many institutions that Donald Trump has attacked – Courts, Congress, media, political parties, diplomats, former Presidents – perhaps the most surprising and unnerving has been the relentless attacks on our intelligence community.
Even before that second day in office – the one where he stood before the 117 stars honoring the CIA’s fallen and said we should’ve kept Iraq’s oil, claimed almost everyone in the room voted for him, and, of course, raved about the inauguration crowd size – even before all that, the attacks were there.
Why does he do it? More importantly, what’s the impact on our country and our stability?
Gen. Michael Hayden has written as thorough, thoughtful and complex an analysis as I’ve seen in his new book “The Assault on Intelligence: American National Security in an Age of Lies.” Gen. Hayden connects our Enlightenment Era roots, philosophy, history, science and our post-truth insanity with the mindfulness you’d expect from a former CIA Director. Oh, and his answer: A resounding nothing good.
Hayden spoke frankly and directly, which shouldn’t surprise. He’s also a retired United States Air Force four-star general and former Director of the National Security Agency. He doesn’t mince words.